Building permits inside the City of Post Falls are issued by the Building Division of the Community Development Department, on the first floor of City Hall at 408 North Spokane Street, 208-773-8708, open Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5 pm. The city also issues all electrical and plumbing permits and inspections for work in the city, and mechanical permits. Post Falls is Idaho’s ninth-largest city: the Census Bureau estimates 46,715 people in 2025, up 18.8% from 39,320 in 2020.
This guide covers the department and how to reach it, the local conditions that shape a filing here, what permits cost and who may pull them, and how inspections are booked. Rules that apply everywhere in Idaho are summarized in each section, with a link to the full statewide explanation.
This guide covers work inside the City of Post Falls limits. Unincorporated Kootenai County and the cities of Coeur d’Alene and Hayden are separate authorities.
Work here needs Idaho credentials. Contractors must register with the state to work in Idaho (Idaho Code 54-5204), and electricians and plumbers need Idaho licences. Idaho has reciprocal licensing agreements with some states for electrical and plumbing licences, listed by the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses; reciprocity leads to an Idaho licence, so check which agreement applies before work starts.
What requires a building permit in Post Falls?
Where a city or county enforces building codes, a permit is required under its ordinance before construction, alteration or repair (Idaho Code 39-4111).
Permit required
- New residential and commercial construction, additions, remodels and tenant improvements
- Structural and load-bearing work, foundations, decks, porches, stairs, garages and accessory buildings
- Electrical service changes, panel work, generators, solar, EV chargers and most wiring
- Plumbing, water heaters, sewer and water connections, gas piping, backflow and fixture relocations
- HVAC installation and replacement, ductwork, ventilation, combustion air and fuel-gas appliances
- Roofing, siding, windows, signs, pools, demolition, grading, erosion control and right-of-way work where regulated
Typically exempt
- Painting, wallpaper, flooring, trim, cabinets and countertops
- Minor repairs replacing existing materials in kind with no structural or system change
- Small detached accessory structures below the local threshold, without utilities, where zoning allows
- Portable equipment or temporary work the adopted code specifically exempts
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Which work is exempt is set by the adopted codes (IBC and IRC Section 105.2) and the local ordinance, and an exemption from a building permit is not an exemption from zoning, setbacks, floodplain rules, utility approval or a fire authority review. Confirm scope with the department before work starts rather than after.
Which code edition applies
Post Falls lists its adopted codes as the 2018 IBC, IEBC, IRC, IMC and IFGC, the 2018 IECC with 2012 amendments for residential, the 2017 Idaho State Plumbing Code and the 2023 National Electrical Code. Fees, submittal requirements, development standards and inspection scheduling are the local variables.
Idaho’s building codes are set statewide and enforced by the cities and counties that run a building program: the 2018 International Building Code and the Idaho Residential Code (based on the 2018 IRC), the 2018 Idaho Energy Conservation Code, the 2023 National Electrical Code, and a state plumbing code based on the 2015 Uniform Plumbing Code rather than the International Plumbing Code. Idaho’s adopted codes
Who handles permitting in Post Falls?
The Building Division handles plan review, permit issuance and inspections inside the city limits.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Authority | City of Post Falls Building Division (building, mechanical, electrical and plumbing permits) |
| Offices | 408 North Spokane Street, Post Falls, Idaho 83854 |
| Phone | 208-773-8708 · inspections line 208-457-3334 |
| Counter hours | Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm |
| Jurisdiction | City of Post Falls limits only |
| County | Kootenai County, which permits unincorporated territory |
| Site constraints | 56 psf ground snow load; flood hazard rules in Municipal Code Chapter 15.44; stormwater measures on site plans |
| Code | Idaho adopted codes — 2018 I-Codes with Idaho amendments, 2023 NEC |
| Contractor credentials | State contractor registration (Idaho Code 54-5204), with the registration number on the residential submittal; Idaho electrical, plumbing and HVAC licences |
Post Falls sits on the north side of the Spokane River. Flood hazard rules are in Municipal Code Chapter 15.44, and the city’s adopted flood maps are dated February 17, 1982. The city’s Engineering Division reviews stormwater management on every site plan submittal, and site plans must show the stormwater best management practices, which are inspected before site disturbance, after rain and at completion.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Inside the city, the Streets Division maintains the city’s streets, signs and signals — over 200 miles of streets — and the Engineering Division handles site plans, construction plan review and road and lane closures.
Coeur d’Alene, Hayden and unincorporated Kootenai County are separate authorities, each with its own fee schedule, submittal process and inspection scheduling. Confirm the parcel against the current city limits before preparing a submittal or a fee estimate.
In 2025, building permits issued in Post Falls authorized 376 new privately owned housing units, 291 of them single-family homes, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey.
Electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits come from the state’s Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses unless the city or county runs its own program by ordinance. Septic systems need a health district installation permit, a highway district controls the roads in its system, and since 2024 the county’s zoning applies in a city’s area of impact. Who issues permits in Idaho
Permit types
Residential permits
Residential permits are valued per square foot with the city’s Building Valuation Chart, and residential plan review, 25% of the building permit fee, is paid at plan submittal. A manufactured home set is a $150 flat fee, or $400 on a foundation. The residential submittal list asks for the owner or contractor name and registration number.
Snow, seismic and wildland exposure
Post Falls publishes one set of design criteria for the city: a ground snow load of 56 psf and a roof snow load of 40 psf, a residential wind speed of 115 mph with exposure B (commercial by calculation), seismic design category C and a 24-inch frost depth.
The seismic design category is also set by the site under the adopted codes, and wildland-urban interface rules apply where the city, county or fire district has adopted them. Confirm the design criteria for the parcel with the Post Falls Building Division at the start of design.
Commercial permits
Commercial plan review is 65% of the building permit fee, and commercial mechanical plan review 25% of the mechanical permit fee. Commercial projects and residential projects of three or more units also go through the city’s site plan review ($2,000 per site for two reviews), where the Engineering Division reviews stormwater management.
A local government must say within 10 business days (residential) or 20 (commercial) whether an application is complete, and if an inspection is not made within 48 business hours the permit holder may hire a third-party inspector and is refunded the fee (Idaho Code 39-4117, 39-4118). Deadlines on Idaho permits
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Post Falls permit costs and fees
Post Falls building permit fees are calculated from the city’s Building Valuation Chart, with plan review charged as a share of the permit fee. Commercial and industrial electrical permits are priced on the total cost of the electrical system, and plumbing permits per fixture plus a $35 processing fee. Work done without a valid permit pays double the building or mechanical permit fee.
| Fee component | How it works |
|---|---|
| Residential building permit | Set by the adopted city fee schedule |
| Commercial building permit | Set by the adopted fee schedule |
| Plan review | 25% of the building permit fee for residential work (paid at submittal), 65% for commercial; 25% of the mechanical fee on commercial mechanical work |
| Trade permits | Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits issued by the city on its fee schedule |
| Site plan review | $2,000 per site (two reviews) for commercial projects and three or more units |
| Re-inspections and revisions | Charged where the local schedule provides for them |
Need a real number for a specific Post Falls project? Send us the scope, address and valuation and we will identify the filing path, the reviews it will trigger and the fee categories that will apply.
Fee schedules are revised on each jurisdiction’s own cycle, so ask the issuing department for the schedule in force on your filing date, and ask separately about plan review, trade, re-inspection and revision charges. How Idaho permit fees work
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →Trade permits and who may pull them
Permit required
- Service upgrades, panels, new circuits, solar PV, EV chargers and generators
- New plumbing, fixture relocations, water heaters, sewer and water connections and gas piping
- Furnaces, boilers, heat pumps, ductwork, ventilation and commercial kitchen exhaust
- Fire alarm, sprinkler and suppression systems on commercial work
Typically exempt
- Replacing a fixture, switch, receptacle or light with no alteration to wiring or piping
- Clearing a stoppage without replacing or rearranging concealed piping
- Filter, thermostat and routine component service
- Appliance repair that does not alter the gas, electrical or venting connection
Contractors must register with the state, and electrical, plumbing and HVAC contractors are licensed by the state; a city or county may not require an extra licence or fee for HVAC work. Contractor registration in Idaho
How to apply for a Post Falls building permit
Contractors register with the state; Idaho has reciprocal agreements for some electrical and plumbing licences.
The city permits only inside its limits; the area of impact is county jurisdiction.
The city has issued them, with its own inspections, since 2015.
The Engineering Division reviews stormwater on every site plan submittal.
56 psf ground snow, 40 psf roof snow, 115 mph wind, exposure B.
Ask the Building Division which other city divisions review the project; the Engineering Division reviews every site plan.
Under Section 105.5 of the adopted codes a permit becomes invalid if work does not start within 180 days or stops for 180 days; check whether the local ordinance amends that. How long Idaho permits last
Inspections in Post Falls
The local department sets the inspection stages; ask for its list when the permit is issued.
Leave inspection requests on the inspections line, 208-457-3334, with the permit number, job address, inspection type and date. Requests left after midnight cannot be scheduled for the following day, and the city does not schedule morning or afternoon slots, so the job must be ready the morning of the inspection; for a concrete pour, leave the pour time.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Do not cover work before the required inspection has been approved. The approved construction documents must be kept at the site (IBC 107.3.1, IRC R106.3.1).
Post Falls permit search and official resources
Permit records sit with the authority that issued them. The city holds plumbing permits from June 7, 2015 and electrical permits from July 9, 2015; earlier ones are under the state’s jurisdiction. If you are buying, refinancing or renovating, ask the Post Falls Building Division what it holds for the parcel.
Where a property has been annexed, permits issued before annexation may still be held by the county.
Confirm the code edition against Idaho’s adopted list. Idaho enforces the 2018 International Building Code and the Idaho Residential Code (based on the 2018 IRC), the 2023 National Electrical Code and a plumbing code based on the 2015 Uniform Plumbing Code. A new edition takes effect on January 1 after the Idaho Building Code Board adopts it (Idaho Code 39-4109), so check the codes and local amendments in force on your filing date.
These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and portal procedures change. Confirm the position for your filing date.
- City of Post Falls Building Division
- Idaho DOPL — adopted building codes
- Idaho DOPL — plan review and permits
- Idaho Contractors Board — contractor registration
Frequently asked questions
Can a contractor licensed across the state line work here?
Only with Idaho credentials. Contractors must register with the state to work in Idaho (Idaho Code 54-5204), and electricians and plumbers need Idaho licences. Idaho has reciprocal licensing agreements with some states for electrical and plumbing licences, which lead to an Idaho licence; DOPL lists the states.
Does the city or the county issue my permit?
The city permits work inside its limits, including electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits. Kootenai County permits unincorporated territory, including the Post Falls area of impact — the land within one-eighth of a mile of the city limits (Kootenai County Ordinance 624, December 2025) — where the county’s plans and ordinances apply (Idaho Code 67-6526).
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →What applies on a riverfront parcel?
Inside the city, flood hazard rules are in Municipal Code Chapter 15.44, and site plans must show stormwater best management practices. Outside the city, Kootenai County’s 25-foot shoreline management area applies along the Spokane River (Kootenai County Code 8.7.111).
Which code edition applies in Idaho?
Idaho enforces the 2018 International Building Code with Idaho amendments and the 2021 IBC mass timber provisions, the Idaho Residential Code based on the 2018 IRC, the 2018 Idaho Energy Conservation Code and the 2023 National Electrical Code (IDAPA 24.39.30; Idaho Code 54-1001).
Does the International Plumbing Code apply?
No. Idaho has adopted the Idaho State Plumbing Code, based on the 2015 Uniform Plumbing Code with Idaho amendments (IDAPA 24.39.20).
Does my contractor need a licence?
Contractors must register with the state unless an exemption applies (Idaho Code 54-5204, 54-5205). Electrical, plumbing and HVAC contractors are licensed by the state, and a city or county may not require an extra licence or fee for HVAC work (Idaho Code 54-5015).
Simplify Post Falls permitting with Alliance Permitting
In Post Falls we confirm the city limits first, then file the building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits with the city.
Trusted by leading builders, developers, and national contractors — 21+ years of filing in the jurisdictions we write about.
Contractors and builders choose Alliance for Post Falls because the work is done by people who have stood at the counter:
- We verify Idaho registration and trade credentials before filing.
- We verify jurisdiction at filing and again for each phase.
- We file electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits with the city alongside the building permit.
- We check flood hazard and stormwater requirements on river parcels.
- We confirm the city’s design criteria with your designer before structural design.
Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Idaho. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the building department through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.
Ready to break ground in Post Falls sooner?
Let Alliance prepare, file, and track your Post Falls permits while your crew stays on the job.
More Idaho permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Post Falls permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.